


Far from the truth

by tothetrashwhereibelong



Series: day-to-day polycule fun [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Asexual Raphael Santiago (as always because that's what he is), Catholic Guilt, F/F, F/M, M/M, Meliorn is kind of a protective partner and we stan, Open Relationships, Other, Raphael Santiago Has Feelings, Raphael Santiago Is Magnus' Son (even if he won't admit it in front of others), Raphael Santiago Is Still A Vampire, Raphael Santiago Sasses Alec Lightwood, Raphael Santiago is a Tsundere Little Shit, Raphael Santiago is on the course of healing from the neverending trauma, a few discussions of violence, but it's quick and it's not detailed or anything, clan leader!Raphael Santiago, daylighter!Raphael Santiago, even when he's not there, mostly the time alec punched raphael, nonbinary!Meliorn, polyamori - Freeform, polycule game night, rip alec, set a few years in the future, they/them!meliorn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 17:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21674536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tothetrashwhereibelong/pseuds/tothetrashwhereibelong
Summary: “Oh, I see,” she says in that way she does when she’s being sarcastic, teasing and grinning, “so everyone who dates me must call me Isabelle? I don’t remember that part of the Accords.”Raphael, Maia and Clary roll their eyes in unison. Simon is, again, unphased. He just shrugs. “I guess we were all trying to Alexander you, but since we all had the same idea, it doesn’t feel special anymore,” he reasons. “But now it’s too late, because it’s caught on.”Raphael grimaces instantaneously.(can be read as a standalone)
Relationships: Clary Fray/Isabelle Lightwood/Maia Roberts (background), Isabelle Lightwood/Meliorn (background), Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood (mentioned), Raphael Santiago & Isabelle Lightwood (complicated), Raphael Santiago & Magnus Bane (mentioned), Raphael Santiago/Meliorn, Simon Lewis/Raphael Santiago
Series: day-to-day polycule fun [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1562488
Comments: 10
Kudos: 65





	Far from the truth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aurora_chiroptera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurora_chiroptera/gifts).

> english is not my first language so let me know if there are any mistakes etc
> 
> please leave a comment if you can, it really motivates me!
> 
> thank you aurora you beautiful wonderful soul for accompanying me in this crazy journey

“Isabelle,” Maia says, trying to get her attention.

Izzy huffs, annoyed. “Does no one call me Izzy anymore?” she asks, hands on her hips, “what’s even the point of having a nickname?”

Clary laughs. “Come on, babe, she’s your girlfriend, let her be.” 

Her eyes are glinting in that particular way they only do when she’s looking at Izzy, soft and adoring in such an obvious, simple way. Izzy smiles at her, pretense gone.

Or half-gone. “It’s not just Maia though. Didn’t you hear what I said? _Everyone_ in here calls me Isabelle. Even the ones I don’t date,” she points a finger nonchalantly at Simon and Raphael, lounging on the couch.

Raphael freezes for a second, but Simon is unphased. “Well, in our defense, we used to,” he says, raising his hands as if in surrender.

“Oh, I see,” she says in that way she does when she’s being sarcastic, teasing and grinning, “so everyone who dates me must call me Isabelle? I don’t remember that part of the Accords.” 

Raphael, Maia and Clary roll their eyes in unison. Simon is, again, unphased. He just shrugs. “I guess we were all trying to Alexander you, but since we all had the same idea, it doesn’t feel special anymore,” he reasons. “But now it’s too late, because it’s caught on.” 

Raphael grimaces instantaneously. “I’m not trying to _copy_ Magnus’ relationship,” he says.

Meliorn nods in his direction like he’s just said something wise. “There was also no plagiarism on my part. I simply think Isabelle is a beautiful name,” they explain. “Besides, names are essences. Saying it is bringing you close to me,” they finish with a half smile, leaning a little towards Isabelle and putting their hands on her waist. She looks up at them, grinning, eyes shining in that particular way that only Isabelle’s can. Raphael’s always thought her eyes were something like gems, big and shiny and precious, like the light that went through them fragmented outwards, revealing a new world. 

It’s much better than in the closest memories he has of her, when they were glassed over, almost closed, almost dull. Lost facing inwards. 

He is grateful for that, too. 

Raphael might not be in love with her anymore, but he does love her. And he’s happy to see her so recovered.

Isabelle holds Meliorn by the jaw and leans to kiss them, back pressed against their chest. There’s a smile in both of their lips. Maia jokingly slaps her arm. “I had a question to ask you,” she reminds her.

“Sorry,” Izzy answers, in that way of hers that sounds sincere while simultaneously saying that she doesn’t regret it all, “got distracted by the whole Alexandering discussion.” 

“Don’t call it that,” Raphael says. 

“Agreed,” Meliorn murmurs. 

“Doesn’t look like that’s what distracted you,” Maia laughs. 

Raphael rolls his eyes again. Simon nudges him with his elbow. “Stop pretending you hate love,” he says. 

“I don’t hate love, I hate the idea that I’d ever try to emulate Lightwood’s relationship,” Raphael argues.

“Lightwood-”

“-Bane, yes, yes, I know,” he finishes before Simon can. These two had been pointing that out to everybody for so long it looks like the entire world must correct him now. “Will I ever be free?” he looks upwards, as if accusing God of abandonment.

Simon rolls his eyes. “You sound like a jealous stepchild.” 

“You’ve become real brave, fledgeling,” Raphael counters, pointing an accusing finger at him. Simon doesn’t even look at it. Damn him and his complete disregard for fake drama. It’s like he’s not even part of the Shadow World. 

“Just telling it like it is. You had nothing against Alec before he started dating Magnus.” 

“Of course I did. He’s a shadowhunter.” 

Simon rolls his eyes. “So’s Izzy.” 

“Don’t remind me,” he says sourly. 

“So what, you can date a shadowhunter, but Magnus can’t?”

“I’m dating a Seelie.”

“Who dates a shadowhunter, who’s also your ex,” Simon raises his eyebrows in challenge. Then immediately ruins it by overexplaining, “meaning you used to date her. Who’s a shadowhunter. So you dated a shadowhunter. So you can date shadowhunters,” he finishes, in a triumphant tone.

“Yes, I got all that from the first part,” Raphael answers. 

“So you don’t have a problem with Alec.” 

Raphael huffs. Simon is exhausting sometimes, but even more so when he’s right. “Doesn’t mean I have to like that he’s dating Magnus.” 

“I think marriage is a little past dating.”

He grimaces like he’s just taken a bite of an onion. “Right, so even worse.”

Simon’s been rolling his eyes an awful lot lately. “So what, you think Alec isn’t good for Magnus?” 

“No,” Raphael answers immediately, then curses himself and Simon for taking the truth out of him so easily. “I’d have to be an idiot. Magnus has never been happier. He deserves everything, and Lightwood, for all his stupid, at least knows that.” 

Simon’s grinning like he just won a prize. Raphael feels the need to cover his eyes, and thinks some half-cooked thought about daylighters and sunrays. Which doesn’t even make sense, because he’s also a daylighter now, and he definitely doesn’t- for lack of a better word, shine. Simon is just like that. Untouched by the shadows. 

Which is why he’s so annoying most of the time. 

“Lightwood-Bane,” Raphael corrects with a small tilt of his head, turning away from Simon so he doesn’t see his lips twitching. Then, before this becomes some sort of moment, “But it doesn’t mean I have to like it.” 

“Jealous stepson,” Simon sing-songs. 

“I’m _not_ his stepson!” 

“He married your dad, he’s your stepdad.” 

“No. Magnus isn’t even my dad. He’s just Magnus.” 

“Oh, so he isn’t family?”

“Of _course_ Magnus is family.” 

“Then so’s Alec, because they’re married, and when you marry you enter the family.”

Raphael groans. Maia, Izzy and Clary all giggle, and Simon does a little bow for them like this is some sort of show. Meliorn’s lips are tugging, but they maintain eye contact with Raphael for the entire duration of his betrayed glare. 

“Like I said. Jealous stepson,” Simon finishes. “Unless you have a great closing argument.” 

“To be fair,” Meliorn says, “Lightwood _did_ punch him.” There’s no amusement in their eyes now, jaw set and nose twitching. Raphael and Izzy both jolt at that. Raphael wasn’t even thinking about- it. 

“He was protecting his sister,” Raphael mumbles. He barely even fought back at the time. But he’s not going to say it, because last time he did, it just made Meliorn angrier. 

“It was my fault,” Izzy says. 

“We both-” 

“Raphael,” Izzy says, eyes begging. Her gem eyes look like they’re full of tears, even when they’re not. Isabelle has this way of telling tragedies with her eyes, sad and mournful like an epic tale that's destined for doom. 

Raphael relents. He still isn’t willing to let himself off the hook, but- “Fine. But Alec did apologize, when Isabelle told him the full story.” It was an awkward moment.

But it wasn’t bad. 

“Working against yourself here, buddy,” Simon points out. Then, at Raphael’s glare, “what? I’m just saying, Meliorn gave you a great point to use and you’re just giving it back.” 

“I suppose guilt overrides jealousy,” Meliorn says, still sounding like a soldier ready for battle. 

Raphael would reach for their hand, maybe give it a soft kiss, because he hates seeing them act like they’re still at war and need to endure torture and killings, but- “I’m not _jealous_.” 

“You know," Meliorn begins, in a wise, musing tone, "us Fae Folk have spent centuries mastering the art of wordplay, half-truths, diplomacy and trickery. It’s always amazed me how you, monorealms, can simply… Say things that aren’t true,” they say, smirking at the end. “Must save you a lot of time.” 

“I hate all of you,” Raphael says solemnly, getting up to get some blood-infused cake so he can have a dramatic exit. 

“Is this a sentence, or just another example?” Meliorn calls back.

Raphael laughs. It’s loud enough for them to hear from the other room.

He doesn’t even care.

**Author's Note:**

> don't forget to comment! concrit is welcome.
> 
> I'm on tumblr as tothetrashwhereibelong if you wanna scream about Raphael or Magnus


End file.
